Don't Clip Nasa's Wings

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A Proposal To Slash Spending On The Nation's Space Program Is Shortsighted Given The Amazing Returns On Such Exploration.

July 30, 1999|By Brown

Many Americans are probably at a loss to explain it. A subcommittee of the United States House of Representatives has voted to slash space spending.

In a week that witnessed the Apollo anniversary, the launching of a new space telescope and a historic space-shuttle mission, what could they have been thinking?

And what a slap in the face to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Especially insulting was the timing. As Republicans in Congress celebrate federal-budget surpluses and salivate over proposed tax cuts, the last thing they should be doing is picking on a productive program.

The proposed cuts amount to more than just a little trim around the neck, which every government agency should expect.

That's simply absurd. It would amount to the largest one-year cut in recent memory. No wonder NASA administrator Dan Goldin expressed outrage, vowing to fight until every penny is restored.

House members will have an opportunity to make things right as early as today, when the full Appropriations Committee takes up the matter.

U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, a Republican whose district includes Brevard County, understands how devastating such excessive slashing would be. He noted that ``NASA has done more than its fair share of budget-trimming to live within tighter fiscal constraints. It's time to stop using it as a piggy bank for other federal accounts.''

Equally important, why limit a program that has given so much to the nation, from unlocking the secrets of the universe to scientific breakthroughs?

To be sure, those gains haven't come easily or inexpensively. As former President John F. Kennedy said so eloquently, Americans aren't in space because it's easy. They're there because it's hard. The cost of the international space station, which is under construction, alone could be $100 billion.

But delving into the heavens also brings all kinds of rewards. It's almost impossible to count the number of useful applications that have been made from technology developed for or in space. One of the most encouraging studies of NASA's economic impact showed that for every dollar the agency has spent, in excess of $10 has been funneled into America's economy through commercial uses of space technology.

Such a return borders on amazing, tempting skeptics to suggest it could be too high. So what if it's lower - $5 for every dollar invested or $2 or even $1? The point is that the space program delivers big-time.

Further, it's worth remembering that the industry provides tens of thousands of jobs for Americans. Many of those would be lost if the proposed cuts hold.

That's not all. What about safety and quality-control? Past cost-cutting already has raised questions about whether those areas are receiving enough attention.

Problems during the space shuttle Columbia's just-completed flight underscored that worry. NASA has confirmed that one of the craft's engine's leaked during liftoff. It's still investigating the cause. A short-circuit in the shuttle's computers also disrupted the mission. Those kinds of problems can lead to serious emergencies.

As Americans enter the 21st century and new marvels beckon and new conquests such as Mars glisten in the distance, the potential of space couldn't be brighter.

It would be shortsighted, indeed, to clip the space agency's wings just as it prepares to soar into another promising era.